Little Girly goes to College

[KingBear]

Despite the recent altercation between myself and the road surface not all the news on the home front is bad. My 17-yr-old daughter Kelsey just got accepted to the college of her choice, Brigham Young University - Idaho. It was pretty stressful anticipating whether she would get in or sometimes even graduate from high school at all. My wife and I have had to beat her up over grades for the last six years (sound familiar, anyone?) and often the battle seemed like a losing one, but it finally paid off. She'll start in September.

Like many kids she wasn't sure she wanted to go to college at all, much less which school. For me it was a no-brainer and I finally convinced her, using all manner of threats and extortion, to see it my way.

• I attended BYU* as did my wife.
• My three brothers (and all their wives) attended BYU, as did my wife's three sisters (and their husbands).
• Virtually all the children on both sides of our family attended BYU.
• One of my brothers is on the faculty at BYU.
• When Kelsey was a baby in her crib she would hear me coming down the hall to get her singing the BYU fight song. She eventually learned to clap at the appropriate times during the song.

*BYU including any one of their campuses at Provo, Idaho, or Hawaii.

So now she's finishing high school going half days and then working at McDonald's to pay for her tuition. Which reminds me, how the hell can you be getting a "C" in Algebra when you only have three classes, huh? HUH? Here's a senior picture of daddy's little college-bound stinker...

 

[Nick Morey]

Congrats to your young one. Hope she buckles down and keeps her grades up when there. Can't get anywhere these days without extra schooling.

 

[T-boy]

Congrats, King...your wallet will never close for he next 4 years! I managed to eke out a 'D' in Algebra. I think the only reason I passed was because my teacher didn't want to see me again next year.

Any other kids at home, or are you an "empty-nester" now?

 

[KingBear]

Nope, she's the last of them and the only child of my own. My wife's two kids are grown with families of their own so we're looking forward to the empty nest. :cheer:

 

[koifarm]

Hey Kingbear,
I was just reflecting on the story of your daughter, having one myself I can understand her waffling now and then. Perhaps she felt smothered and constrained to follow in the entire family's route of college education, there is quite an impressive history there.....
Mine had a rocky road as well, she's now 30 and has finally straightened out and "grown up" so to speak, has become an amazing woman and we now have a close relationship, one that was postponed for quite some time, and I really enjoy watching her dive head first into her passions...
Give her all the room she needs and be there when she needs you, Dad.

 

[drlapo]

$$$$ I'm spending $15,000 per year so my son can identify fish and coral
what else would I spend $60,000 on?

 

[nwraindevil]

Our little angel ; )

My daughter had a simular high school experience. She really walked a thin line between pass/fail her last few years in school. She pulled it off and we thru a big party! She was not sure if she wanted to continue on to college. We supported her in any disicion she would make. We let her also know what the expectations would be for each choice she could choose to make. We really wanted (pushed) to see her continue her education whether it be college or a trade school of some kind. She decided to go to North Idaho College in Coer De Alene to become a Medical Receptionist with a friend from her Softball Team, who was going there on a Golf Scholarship. Well I think we wanted it a little more than our little Angel did. Lets just say she was back home within two months and had racked up quite a big bill:kick:. Now she still has our love, and, all of the non-financial support we can give her.

 

[Sal Paradise]

drlapo,

I'm doing the same thing, about the same price for my son.

I could buy a new Bonneville every 6 months what I'm paying... Hope its worth it.

 

[rodburner]

Nicely done King,the daughter,not the grinding your ass off on the pavement.In Tacoma,all the high schools are heavy into the JROTC from each branch of the service. Stadium HS is one of the 2 Navy schools and is where my daughter and son attended.My girl really liked the "I'm in charge here" attitude,fostered by the commanding officer [real Navy commander] and plowed her way to the top,becoming the unit commander by her senior year. After being invited to an all branches meet and greet by brass at McChord AFB and speaking to literally 100's of senior military officials,she was offered full ride scholarships to both the Naval and Air Force academies. Jeri and I were very proud and also very understanding when she turned them down and joined the union to follow in the old man's boot steps. Every night,watching the news,I'm kinda glad she's a daddy's girl.

 

[Kirkus51]

Congrats on yer girl heading off to College. It's a wild time and tons of fun.... until you realize you should have gone to class and drank fewer beers. Ahhh... Tulagis on the Hill in Boulder.

 

[ssjones]

Congratulations and buckle your seatbelt! My youngest of two daughters will graduate in May.

I really recommend she take a college level class or two over the summer. I wish each of my daughters had started their freshman year with a few college credits. The pace at college was a pretty steep learning curve for each of them. One of my neighbors kids did the 1/2 day at a local community college their Senior year in High School and earned about 10 credits. That took some of the pressure off their first year in college.

My youngest sounds like yours, struggles to get good grades. In her Education major, she was required to take six classes each semester. 18 credits per semester was a real bear, but she made it through and we're proud of her. A's in college aren't easy to come by, shoot for passing all classes.

 

[strokerlmt]

Way to go King....beautiful daughter who will have a beautful mind. Unfortunately these days its not whet you know its what piece of paper do you have when looking for a job. Mine are 10 and 12.5 yrs and both will go to college which means I work tile I'm 80 or I drop so they can have the insurance.
Rules
** No credit card....debit card....fixed allowance per month....if they spend by the 3rd of the month tough...
** Work part time ....keeps em out of the party zone at least for a few hrs during the week.
** Live on campus or with realtives....no hen house off campus with 12 girl roommates.
Not preaching just saw my brothe inlaw go sideways with his kids ...credit card, car, off campus. His kids were going to school in LA and spent more time in Mexico than class the first year :beer:
Congrats again....she wil do great
LMT

 

[KingBear]

I'm not worried about partying at BYU, especially the Idaho campus. She hasn't grown up with that kind of lifestyle and she'd have to go waaaaay out of her way to find it there, which she's not likely to do because she'll be living in the campus dorms. She's pretty shy and sometimes has to be dragged and pushed into participating in activities, so I'm less worried about her getting into trouble and more worried about her not taking a big bite out of college life.

Because of our affiliations with BYU the tuition is a great value, especially for the quality of education. Tuition is just $1,640 per full-time semester. She's responsible for paying tuition, books, fees, and supplies including her laptop. I'm paying for room and board. It comes out to a total of about $6k per semester split pretty evenly between us. I'm making her pay the tuition portion with the hope that it will actually encourage her to work harder because she's paying for the classes. And like Stroker said, no credit cards, firm allowance, and there's nowhere to go from Rexburg except Yellowstone Park.

 

[buckstoy]

there's nowhere to go from Rexburg except Yellowstone Park.

That to me would be better than your run of the mill partying anyway, of course we would have to try to combine the 2 (partying and yellowstone)! Congrats on getting your daughter to this point in life, mine is 7 months old and I can only imagine what all awaits!

 

[ssjones]

$12k per year for school is a bargain. Good plan making her pay for books, etc. That's what we did, both kids. My Chelsea works at one of our restaurants during holiday/summer breaks and will at least have a job when she returns home in May.

I'm not worried about partying at BYU, especially the Idaho campus. She hasn't grown up with that kind of lifestyle and she'd have to go waaaaay out of her way to find it there, which she's not likely to do because she'll be living in the campus dorms. She's pretty shy and sometimes has to be dragged and pushed into participating in activities, so I'm less worried about her getting into trouble and more worried about her not taking a big bite out of college life.

Because of our affiliations with BYU the tuition is a great value, especially for the quality of education. Tuition is just $1,640 per full-time semester. She's responsible for paying tuition, books, fees, and supplies including her laptop. I'm paying for room and board. It comes out to a total of about $6k per semester split pretty evenly between us. I'm making her pay the tuition portion with the hope that it will actually encourage her to work harder because she's paying for the classes. And like Stroker said, no credit cards, firm allowance, and there's nowhere to go from Rexburg except Yellowstone Park.

 

[strokerlmt]

KingBear....you have it covered. You have a great plan....especially like that she is paying part of tuition. I think it keeps even the best young adults focused when they are not givennnn everythinggggg. I scared shitless what college will cost in 6 years.......
LMT

 

[BobM]

Congrats to you and your daughter, I know she's making you proud.

My kids knew I couldn't afford college for them so 2 went into the Military to pay for it. Baby girl (24) is now an Air Force recruiter and Son (27) Navy then Air Force is in final semester for his teaching degree.